Research is one of the most important elements of a successful job hunt. Critical research involves identifying the company you want to work for and learning about its values, objectives and who they want to hire before a job interview. Research is simple and readily available on the internet if you know where to look. Here are three easy hacks for uncovering everything you need to know from general information to golden nuggets that will give you the edge in an interview.
1. Company Websites
You’d be surprised about how much useful information is available on the company’s website. Dive into the press release section, media coverage and profiles of senior employers will open up a trove of useful details. This is the obvious stuff. The real juice is to analyse the style and language of their content. Is it formal or coloquial, traditional or cutting edge? This can give you a valuable insight into the company’s culture and how they prefer to communicate with their staff and consumers.
2. Best In Show
There are numbers Top 10 and Best in the industry lists available online. Use these to to create a list of companies you want to work for based on your skills and strengths. These lists will vary in size and scope from the Forbes 100 to the “Best Companies for Working Moms”.
3. Industry Insights
Get to grips with data and insights for your specific industry. It is important to understand how your company has been doing financially, any big deals/projects they have just completed and what is happening economically in the industry as a whole. This information will help you understand potential challenges faced by company and help you sound prepared and knowledgeable during an interview, or even help you prepare questions.